D.C. United president and CEO Kevin Payne, the architect of Major League Soccer’s first dynasty and one of the highest profile executives in American soccer, is leaving the club after 17 years in charge.

The Washington Post reported Payne’s departure on Tuesday morning, and the organization confirmed it a few hours later. He is expected to take a job running another MLS club, rumored to be Toronto FC, in short order.

“They say the only constant in life is change,” Payne said in a statement. “For me, D.C. United has been like my child. We brought the team into the D.C. and national sports world 17 years ago and every day since, good and bad, has been a labor of love. This team has provided many great memories of championships and historic accomplishments, but I will best remember the people I've had the chance to meet, to work with, strive with, celebrate with, and sometimes to share disappointment with.”

United has transitioned through several ownership groups since the league debuted in 1996, but Payne has remained the constant. He hired Bruce Arena as the club’s first coach and presided over a team that won three of the first four MLS Cup titles with legendary players like John Harkes, Marco Etcheverry, Eddie Pope, Jaime Moreno and Jeff Agoos.

Payne also helped forge a brand and club culture that was considered the league’s most successful and authentic early on and which has remained nearly intact to this day.

He remained at the helm when United’s on-field fortunes declined in 2000 and has spent the past decade focused primarily on securing a new stadium for the club. He simultaneously served as an executive with AEG, which owned United for several years, before returning to RFK Stadium full-time in ’04.

Payne, 59, was well-known for his hands-on management style and often was involved in player acquisition matters, working alongside G.M. Dave Kasper and the coach. In 2012, the club enjoyed its best season in years, advancing to the MLS Cup semifinals under the guidance of coach Ben Olsen. But changes off the field paved the way for Payne’s departure.

Indonesian businessman Erick Thohir and NBA executive Jason Levien, an attorney and former political strategist, purchased a majority share in United over the summer and are focused on expediting the hunt for a new stadium. Meanwhile, the average attendance of 13,846 was the lowest in club history and the third-worst in the league this year.

A source told The Post that Thohir and Levien concluded that the club’s business operation “needs a lot of work,” while another revealed that “it was the right time” for a change. United is “transitioning toward a new stadium. There’s a new energy. A lot of things are happening,” the source said.

"Kevin’s lengthy list of accomplishments speaks to his strong acumen as a leader,” Levien said Tuesday. “His dedication to the organization deserves deep admiration and appreciation. As D.C. United begins a new chapter, Kevin's leadership has helped to prepare us for this important and potential-filled inflection point in the club’s history.”

D.C. won 12 major trophies under Payne—four MLS Cups, four Supporters Shields, two U.S. Open Cups, the CONCACAF Champions Cup and the InterAmerican Cup. He is a member of the MLS board of governors, the chairman of the U.S. Soccer Federation’s technical committee and the vice chairman of the U.S. Soccer Foundation.

A search for Payne’s successor in D.C. reportedly is underway, but that person likely will focus solely on the business side while leaving the on-field product to Kasper and Olsen.

There was speculation early Tuesday that Payne might be headed to Toronto FC, which is searching for a new president to run the floundering club on behalf of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. Payne has ties to TFC’s director of team and player operations Earl Cochrane, a former United employee, and academy director Thomas Rongen, who coached D.C. to the 1999 MLS Cup championship.

Olsen, a member of that team, said, “Very few people in American soccer have put their stamp on a club as Kevin has with D.C. United. His loyalty to the team and me is something for which I’ll always be indebted.”